In August and September of 2007, hundreds of thousands of acres pf Greek forests burned, hundreds of people were left homeless, and scores of people died. The fires were caused by a combination of global warming, two years of drought, a higher-than-normal jet stream across Europe, accident, and arson. Arsonists burn down the forests in the hopes of bribing local officials for permits to build hotels and houses on the ruined ground. The villages of the Peloponnese were hit the worst by the fire damage. One year later, people are still living in tents with no help from the government, which seemed to pocket or misappropriate the donations from the international community, and charred trees stand everywhere with no hope of new plantings.

The fire came dangerously close to Olympia, the site of the first ancient Olympic games. Once we got to the site, the burned trees were on the hill right above us. And Indy said the Olympia museum was spared by nothing but a miracle.

The road between Vassai and Olympia was lined with arboral memorials to all of Creation lost to the flames.